Agent Josephine Pierce is the adoptive daughter of Alexander Pierce, traitor to S.H.I.E.L.D. He never cared for her though. When she was a very young age he made her into a weapon that he could use against S.H.I.E.L.D in an emergency. The surgeries...
Bucky and I stand awkwardly in the expensive elevator. I flatten out the skirt of my dress. The rich material sliding under my cold fingertips. My hair is up in an intricate bun, out of my face. My ears are pink from the chilly late-autumn air that we had just escaped.
"You're beautiful tonight, Josephine." Bucky says from beside me, "Not that you're not always beautiful! You are beautiful everyday, without even trying!"
I blush and giggle at his rambling. I quickly reach up and plant a kiss on his cheek. A pink tint rises on his cheeks and he tries to resist smiling but fails. He grins widely, a glint of excitement sparkles in his eyes as the elevator doors open. The room is oddly dark, it's usual dull glow of multi-coloured is replaced byan eerie darkness.
I step out of the elevator cautiously, confused at the lack of light and people. The heels on my shoes click on the hardwood floor beneath my feet. I slowly walk further into the dark modern room. The only light is coming from the streetlights from the city outside, creating a dark glow that allows me to see the silhouettes of expensive furniture.
I jump slightly at the feeling of Bucky's arms snaking around my waist from behind, his chin on my shoulder and breath tickling the skin just below my ear, "Surprise." He whispers in my ear.
"SURPRISE!" My eyes widen dramatically as the lights are suddenly switched on and all of our friends jump out from behind the sofa and from other rooms. Bucky squeezes me slightly, pecking my neck as I let out a yelp of- you guessed it- surprise.
As Bucky's grip disappears Lila and Cooper Barton both come running towards me, hugging around my hips on either side. Tony pops out of seemingly nowhere, a bottle of champagne in hand. The cork shoots out and- thankfully- doesn't hit anyone, causing foam to erupt from the bottle before he starts filling glasses.
"Happy Birthday!" Lila almost yells, her grip on me tightening as everyone else greets Bucky and I.
"I- uh- I don't- I don't know what to say." I look around, slightly confused. I never told anyone my birthday, mainly because I didn't even know it. I never celebrated birthdays, even as a kid. After being adopted by Pierce, he never had the time or cared enough to get me a present or even a card to mark the day of my birth.
"Natasha found your birthday in the S.H.I.E.L.D files." Steve says from beside Bucky as Cooper and Lila step back to join their parents, "Why didn't you tell us?"
"I d-didn't know." I tear up slightly and everyone goes quiet, "Who arranged this?" I ask.
The whole room looks to a figure behind me and Bucky's grip loosens. The mood has changed from happy to slightly awkward. I turn around to face him. He is looking down at his hands that are fiddling with the hem of his plain white shirt nervously. There is a moment of silence before I leap at him, my arms around his neck and my face buried in his shoulder.
He stumbles back slightly before hugging back, confused. I pull back, grateful tears are rolling down my cheeks that hurt from smiling so wide, "Thank you!" I squeak out before pulling him in for a small peck on the lips.
My face heats up as I hear everyone cooing "Aww" at us as we pull away from each other. The happy mood has returned.
Tony pops up again, "Come on, Jarvis! Let's get the party started!"
The lights dim and multi-coloured lights replace the bright lights from before. Sam and Laura wheel a small table with a huge cake on it into the room from the kitchen. Clint gushes about how he is glad we finally showed up because he would've been stuffing his face if we were any later.
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The round cake is simple in design, a turquoise blue fondant icing covers the chocolate sponge cake underneath, a heart of roses creates a window overlooking some pale pink fondant.
Lila scampers around my legs, wanting to be picked up in order to see the cake. I lift her, using my hips to hold her up as she wraps her little legs around me to stay in place, her small hand grips my shoulder where as the other one is pointing at one of the pink roses, "I made that one! I made that one!!" She cheers.
I praise her, watching as Bucky delicately plants candles into the heart of the cake, asking around for a lighter and mumbling Russian curse words when he couldn't find one. I watch him, smiling as he fumbles around for one in Tony's kitchen drawers, returning with a red lighter and setting the candles alight. After everybody sings Happy Birthday to me I feel Bucky's gaze on me as I encourage Lila to help me blow the flickering flames out.
Smoke swirls around our faces and the pleasant smell wafts around the cake, the flash of a photo captures the moment and I feel Bucky kissing my cheek before whispering a happy birthday.
I carefully place Lila on the ground and she continues running around us. Tony claps his hands three times and Jarvis plays some music, he then proceeds to give glasses of champagne out to people, Bucky and me included. I give the fizzy liquid a sceptical look, never having tried it before, and then decided to take a sip. Bucky chuckles as he sees me shake my head in disgust, my nose scrunching up at the taste. He takes the glass from me and sits it on the table along with his own and brings me into a loose embrace, his arms hanging on my hips. My hands reach up to rest on his shoulders.
"Ya know... I got you present." He smiles at me. My eyes widen slightly, tears rising again.
"Aw, Bucky- you know you didn't have-" He interrupts me.
"I wanted to!" He exclaims, his hand leaving my waist to pull a box out of his pocket. I let go of his shoulders as he hands me the fairly flat box. I open it to reveal a beautiful necklace. A ruby red heart dangles from a delicate silver chain.
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I wrap my arms around his neck, hugging him yet again. He pulls away, carefully taking the chain out. I move my long brown hair over my shoulder before he cautiously attaches it at the back of my neck, allowing it to hang, the jewel sitting between the bottom of my collarbones.
"It's beautiful! Thank you, Bucky!" I gush, beaming a smile up at him.
"Well, what sorta boyfriend would forget to give you a present on your birthday?" He smirks slightly, his hands sliding down to my waist.
The rest of the night hurls past, memories of a drunk Tony Stark mistaking Clint for Pepper and trying to kiss him, deep conversations about the future with Steve and dancing with Bucky being made. Memories that I will cherish and never forget. Memories that I am thankful for.
